There may be 4 races remaining within the 2024 NASCAR Cup Sequence common season, however Josh Berry is probably going centered on considered one of them a bit of greater than the others.
A win for Berry on the Richmond Raceway would catapult him into the 2024 NASCAR Cup Sequence playoffs, however he would not be the primary driver to clinch a postseason berth with a large win at Richmond. In 2004, it was Jeremy Mayfield who broke by means of for an enormous win that clinched him a spot within the inaugural Chase for the NEXTEL Cup.
As a short-track ace, the 0.75-mile monitor performs proper into Berry’s wheelhouse. Berry’s racing background consists of a lot of late-model racing, and he bought his first NASCAR Xfinity Sequence win on the half-mile Martinsville Speedway in 2021.
The 33-year-old from Hendersonville, Tenn. has put collectively a strong rookie season — it caught the eye of the Wooden Brothers, who signed Berry for 2025 — however to no person’s shock, the quick tracks have been the place his expertise has absolutely been capable of shine by means of.
After 4 straight finishes of twentieth or worse to start the season, the high-banked half mile of Bristol noticed Berry earn a then-season-best end of twelfth. After qualifying second, Berry led 25 laps in a race that turned out to be a battle of tire preservation. His inexperience led him to fall by means of the sphere in Stage 3, nevertheless it was nonetheless a exhibiting to be happy with.
At Richmond’s first date on the calendar on Easter Sunday, Berry led two laps and improved on his season-best end with an Eleventh-place effort. The Monster Mile of Dover introduced a 14th-place outcome, and whereas not quick tracks, finishes of third and tenth at Darlington and Charlotte, respectively, proved to the world that Berry was able to competing within the Cup Sequence.
The final two short-track races at Iowa and New Hampshire produced finishes of seventh and third, respectively, and evidently Berry has sufficient expertise on the entrance to lastly contend for his first profession win.
With subsequent Sunday’s race at Richmond additionally happening at night time, Berry can depend on his notes from March and the arrogance that comes from working on the entrance of the Cup Sequence race.
If he’ll make the playoffs, he wants a victory, and whereas he definitely might win at both Michigan, Daytona or Darlington, Richmond is the one monitor left on the regular-season schedule that performs fully to Berry’s power.
Sure, Berry’s maiden voyage within the Cup Sequence has been strong to this point, but when he needs a standout second to stick within the scrapbook, a walk-off win at Richmond to clinch a playoff bid — a la Mayfield in 2004 — would simply qualify as a memorable second and a feel-good story of an underdog breaking by means of.